Gove brings in new management for failing Derby school

Sinfin Community School in Derby has been failing its 900 pupils. It was placed into special measures by Ofsted in February. Another visit found lack of progress. It is below the minimum standard of 35% of pupils gaining at least five A*-C grades including English and maths.

So it is excellent news that the Department for Education has now replaced the school's governors with an "interim executive board" and is making arrangement for it being converted into a sponsored academy.

The response of the teaching union the NASUWT is to call a strike.

Dave Wilkinson, from the NASUWT's Derbyshire branch, said:

"The DfE's decision to impose its own academy sponsor on Sinfin Community School in preference to a local solution developed by Derby City Council exposes Michael Gove's claims of local and community accountability as a sham.

"Derby teachers, pupils and parents will be justifiably angry at this rule by diktat from Whitehall."

The far left Socialist Party feel the enthusiasm for teachers at the school striking shows their "depth of commitment to community education."

Cllr Martin Rawson, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People on Labour-run Derby City Council says he is "vehemently opposed" to the Government's "unwarranted interference."

What does the Labour MP for Derby South Margaret Beckett make of it? Odd if she doesn't have an opinion on the matter but she doesn't appear to have expressed one.